Mumbai whipped Rajasthan by an innings and 31 runs, with more than two sessions to spare, on the final day of their Ranji Trophy Elite Division Group B league match in Mumbai on Friday.

The victory kept themselves firmly on course for a semi-final berth.

The 36-time Ranji Trophy winners needed less than 13 overs to claim Rajasthan's last three wickets and dismiss the visitors for 297 in the second innings after they began the day at 259 for 7, needing 69 runs to make Mumbai bat for the second time in the match.

- Ranji Trophy 2006-07

The new ball, taken after two overs today, did the trick for the home team, as Ajit Agarkar packed off Rajasthan captain and main hope Ajay Jadeja for 70 and last-man Pankaj Singh for 12, while fellow-medium pacer Abhishek Nair accounted for Mohd Aslam's wicket.

Mumbai wrapped the proceedings in just under an hour to collect five points, including a bonus one, which boosted their tally to ten with a match in hand against Maharashtra, to be played at Nashik from January 10-13.

It was also Mumbai's second consecutive victory by an innings following their comprehensive innings and 163-run win over Gujarat in their previous encounter that helped them open their points' tally after three unproductive away from home matches.

Rajasthan, who have four points from five ties, had scored 155 in the first innings to which

Mumbai replied with 483 for a commanding lead of 328. They will take on Bengal next at Kolkata to complete their engagements.

Aslam, not out four last evening, was the first to go after Mumbai took the new ball, which was already due yesterday. He score nine before being caught at gully, edging Nair's out-swinger. Rajasthan were reduced to 272 for 8.

Jadeja, unbeaten on one short of a half century when the last day's play began, followed Aslam back in the dressing room after the addition of 18 runs. He was undone by Agarkar's short-pitched balls and nicked one to keeper Vinayak Samant.

The dismissal of the former India batsman, who hit 10 fours in his 165-minute essay and faced 116 balls, virtually ended any hopes of Rajasthan avoiding an innings defeat, but the final wicket fell in an unusual manner.

Number ten Pankaj Singh was stumped by Samant, who smartly removed the bails when he saw the lanky tail-ender standing outside the crease remonstrating with Agarkar after another short ball was hurled at him by the wiry Mumbai pacer.

Pankaj did not realise that the ball was still in play and since he was not intending to take a run, he was declared stumped off Agarkar.

For the hosts, Agarkar and left arm spinner Nilesh Kulkarni shared six wickets while Nair and off spinner Ramesh Powar claimed two apiece.

Scorecard

Rajasthan (1st innings): 155

Mumbai (1st innings): 483

Rajasthan (2nd innings): (overnight 259-7)
V Solanki c Samant b Agarkar 0
G Khoda lbw Kulkarni 65
R Kanwat c Samant b Powar 60
N Doru c Kulkarni b Nair 26
N Gehlot c Muzumdar b Powar 23
Afroz Khan c Nair b Kulkarni 18
A Jadeja c Samant b Agarkar 70
R Jhalani c Samant b Kulkarni 9
M Aslam c Kukreja b Nair 9
Pankaj Singh st Samant b Agarkar 12
S Mathur not out 0
Extras: (lb 2, w 1, nb 2) 5
Total: (all out in 94.5 overs) 297

Fall of wickets: 1-9, 2-120, 3-138, 4-174, 5-178, 6-222, 7-242, 8-272, 9-290.

Bowling: Agarkar 20.5-1-88-3, Hazare 5-0-25-0, Nair 14-3-36-2, Powar 31-10-86-2, Kulkarni 24-8-60-3.